Dr. Robert J. Wallis, Professor of Visual Culture has been published in The Falconer journal. Wallis’ paper, entitled “‘As the Falcon Her Bells’?: Falconry and Hawking in Early Anglo-Saxon England”, examines the archaeological and art historical evidence, including finds from the iconic site of Sutton Hoo, to argue that falconry was introduced from Scandinavia to the region of East Anglia around the late sixth or early seventh century – around a century earlier than previously thought. Falconry and falconry birds, Wallis proposes, played an important social role in the emerging Anglo-Saxon kingdom of East Anglia, negotiating its identity in relation to a pagan-falconer-elite in Scandinavia and the newly established Christian alliances in south-east England and on the Continent. Wallis has also written a review of the book Historical Falconry: An Illustrated Guide in the same issue of The Falconer.

Caption: The hawk-with-prey motif on the purse lid from Sutton Hoo, which may evidence falconry in early England (British Museum)